Y'all, I have written this idea in another one of my stories and I think it will be perfect for this one as well. If any of you have seen that iconic movie Easy A, then you know what you're in for...or maybe not because I changed the song.

Copyright: I don't own the song BUT DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER, I ACTUALLY LOVE THE SONG! A LOT!


Photo #82: You're Welcome

Eadlyn has seen photos of many notable and historic or intellects all doing the same pose: reading a dusty informative-looking book while pretending not to know their picture was being taken. (Those photos are obviously staged since nobody actually reads those heavy books while standing up or just in general).

That's what Eadlyn thought the photo was at first glance since her mother was standing and reading something. But the longer Eadlyn looks at the photo, the more strange it is. First off, her mother looks like she's singing and she isn't even reading a songbook.

It's a card.

The next picture on the wall is of her mother singing with a card in her hands. Eadlyn has no idea how to interpret this.

-o-

In her hands, America holds an envelope that was sent from her younger sister, May. America spends a few moments looking at what the content of the envelope might be since it wasn't for any holiday or her birthday. America runs her fingers across the envelope, feeling for anything bumpy to check for any items inside.

Nothing. She begins to tear through the envelope.

It's a card with a cartoon island on it with high-rising waves and a sailboat. In gold cursive on the sand, it has 'I forgot to respond to your thanks so...'

America opens the card and her ears fill up with loud music.

"Open your eyes, let's begin. Yes, it's really me, breathe it in. I know it's a lot, the hair, the bod. When you're staring at a demigod. So what can I say except 'You're welcome'. For the tide, the sun, the sky. Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome. I'm just an ordinary demi-guy. So what can I say except 'You're welcome'. For the tide, the sun, the sky. Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome. I'm just an ordinary demi-guy."

America cringes as she closes the card. She shakes her head in hopes that she could forget the last few moments of her life from ever happening. She wonders what she ever did to May to receive a 'you're welcome' in this irritating way.

"Worst song ever," America states.

In the middle of the night, America wakes up from the state of trying to sleep and failing. She sits up on her bed and looks to her nightstand only to see that stupid card looking back at her. America picks it up and opens it. She forgot about the music in there and closes the card immediately once it starts blasting. America holds her breath as she looks at her sleeping husband next to her. He doesn't even budge which means that he gratefully didn't hear the card.

America slowly opens the card again and listens to the song a few times. The more she listens to it, the more the rhythm finds itself being demonstrated in her body whether that'd be through tapping her fingers against her thighs or nodding her head.

She might actually like this song. A lot.

"Open your eyes, let's begin," America sings along. "Yes, it's really me, breathe it in."

Maxon wakes up a little and turns over to see America singing along with that card. Thinking that this is all some strange dream of his, he just goes back to sleep with his pillow over his head to block out the noise.

The next morning, Maxon wakes up yet again to America singing that card which confirms the fact that it was all real and not a dream. Normally, he loves listening to America sing but not to some weird song on a constant loop. She didn't even have to be saying the words aloud for the song to be present, she would be humming the tune or tapping whatever she can to play the beat.

And it's been going on for hours. Who knew someone could get so attached to a song so quickly?

At one point, Maxon plants a kiss on America to cut her off from singing. America is taken by surprise but accepts it.

"That was to calm you down," Maxon tells her, holding her shoulders as he looks directly into her eyes.

America smiles a little. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

America's face lights up and Maxon instantly regrets saying those two trigger words. America begins swaying from side-to-side, holding Maxon's arms as if they were dancing to the song. Well, she was shimmying and he was just standing with his feet planted on the ground.

"So what can I say except 'You're welcome'," America sings to him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before skipping off to continue singing that song.

Another day passes and that song is still being sung by America. It's gotten to that point where everyone in the palace knows that song and some of them are even singing along. It's spreading around like the plague up to the point where it might become Illéa's new national anthem. It's also gotten to that point where Maxon feels the need to take a picture of America singing with the card just in case he has to submit something to the asylum on how America lost her mind.

"I am not singing that," Maxon says to himself. "Never ever."

Maxon thinks of banning all communications to and from May Singer in the palace for sending that stupid card. But he discarded that idea since May is his sister-in-law and that would be cruel. A better idea would be to invite May over to enjoy this spectacle. Or better yet, Maxon thinks that he'll send May a similar card without the batteries just so she'll be more frustrated with not hearing a stupid, corny song she would be expecting. In his eyes, it's a perfect revenge plan considering that he has to suffer through all this.

He makes a note to himself to pick out a card.

"I know it's a lot, the hair, the bod," America continues singing. "When you're staring at a demigod."

After even more hours of hearing America sing this song like a broken record, Maxon realizes that silence is actually something you could hear and boy, did he miss it. He didn't want to succumb to this song but then he realizes his foot subconsciously tapping along to the beat.

It's too late for him to escape now.

"So what can I say except 'You're welcome'," America sings, noticing Maxon's sudden involvement in the song. She holds her hands out to him and shakes her hips. "For the tide, the sun, the sky. Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome."

Maxon sighs before taking America's hands. He figures that it's easier to just sing along to this fad of hers rather than just fight against it.

"Open your eyes, let's begin," America starts.

"Yes it's really me, breathe it in," Maxon continues.

"I know it's a lot, the hair, the bod. When you're staring at a demigod."

"So what can I say except 'You're welcome'. For the tide, the sun, the sky. Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome. I'm just an ordinary demi-guy."

"So what can I say except 'You're welcome'. For the tide, the sun, the sky. Hey, it's okay, it's okay, you're welcome. I'm just an ordinary demi-guy."

Both of them stand and wait for the song to start again, but to their surprise, nothing comes but silence. Maxon and America look at the card that sits on a table and sees that the card isn't doing anything. The battery must have finally died after being used for so many days in a row. (Maxon's surprised it didn't die sooner). Maxon feels relieved, unlike America who feels sort of empty without that song. He can't help but wonder if that would've happened sooner if he sang with her earlier as opposed to now.

"Thank you for finally stopping your singing," Maxon tells her.

America smiles, thinking about the song. "You're welcome."


This is one of those chapters where I ask myself what is wrong with me because right now, I am America. I've been listening to my babe, Jordan Fisher's, cover of this song on a constant loop and just bopping around for the past week. And I was listening to it while writing and proofreading this.

Stay Tuned - some works of art are better off when left unexplained...